Animal-trap.



No. 638,847. Patented Dec. l2, I899. C. C. KING.

ANIMAL TRAP.

(Application filed June 10, 1899.)

(No Model.)

'llnrrnn STAT S CHARLES 0. KING, or MONTPELIER, nliDIANA.

ANIMAL TRAP.

srEcIrrcA'rIoN formingm of Letters Patent No. 638,847, dated December12, 1899.

Application filed June 10, 1899- fi i l NO- 72 1 (N0 l To all whont itmay concern.-

Be it known that I, CHARLES 0. KING, a citizen of the United States,residing at Montpelier, in the county of Blackford and State of lndiana,have invented a new and useful Animal-Trap,of which the followingis aspeci fication.

The invention relates to improvements in animal-traps.

The object of the present inventionis to improve the construction ofself-set and everset traps and to provide a simple, inexpensive, andefficient one designed for catching rats and other animals and capableof catching animals and of killing them as they are caught.

The invention consists in the construction and novel combination andarrangement of parts hereinafter fully described, illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, and pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of an animal-trapconstructed in accordance with this invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinalsectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional View. Fig.4 is a detail View of the trigger. Fig. 5 is a detail perspective Viewof the support.

Like numerals of reference designate corresponding parts in all thefigures of the drawings.

1 designates a receptacle provided at its top with an opening 2 andhaving a hinged trapdoor 3 located at one end of the opening at thefront of the trap. The trap-door 3 is pivotally mounted between its endson a transverse pintle 4, journaled in suitable bearings or eyes of thereceptacle and the trap-door, and the outer end of the latter isconnected with a coiled spring 5, which maintains the trap-door normallyin a horizontal position. The pintle 4: is arranged at a point betweenthe center of the trap-door and the outer end thereof, and the force ofthe spring is sufficient to maintain the trap-door in the saidhorizontal position while an animal is attempting to obtain the bait,and the said animal is forced through the trapdoor into the receptacleby a rotating spring-actuated frame 6. The spring-actuated rotatingframe, which is oblong, is composed of parallel sides 7 and connectingcross-pieces S, and it is provided at the center of its sides withbearings 9 for the reception of a transverse shaft 10, which has itsends mounted on suitable brackets or supports 11. The ends of the frameare pro vided with prongs orspurs 12, adapted to impale an animal andkill it as it is caught, and the inner end of the trap-door is providedwith longitudinal slot s 13, located in the paths of the spurs orprojections and forming pas-,

sages for the same to prevent the said spurs or projections fromstriking the trap-door should the trap be tripped accidentally.

The rotary striking-frame is held in a vertical position by aspring-actuated locking rod or bolt 15, mounted upon a support 16, andthe said frame is actuated by a barrel-spring 14 of suflicient strengthto kill the animals as they are caught. One end of the spring is securedto the shaftand its other end is attached to the adjacent side of theframe, which is adapted to be rotated for winding up the spring andsetting the trap. The support 16, which is fixed to the horizontalshaft, cornprises a vertical portion 17, a forwardly-extendingsubstantially horizontal portion 18, and a depending portion 20. Thevertical portion, which is provided with a longitudinal opening 21, hasa perforation 22 atits top to form a guide for the upper end of thelocking rod or bolt, which also passes through a perforation of thehorizontal shaft. The lower portion of the locking-rod receives a spiralspring 23, interposed between a bottom flange 2a and a lever 25, whichconnects the locking-rod with a bait-receiving trigger 26. The lever 25,which is disposed substantially horizontally, is fulcrumed at its rearend on a pivot- 27 to the depending segmental portion of the support,and it is pivotally connected between its ends at 28 to avertically-reciprocating locking-rod. Its front end 29 is curved and isarranged within a slot 30 of the baitreceiving trigger 26, which isfulcrumed at its lower end at 29. The upper end of the coiled springbears against the lower edge of the lever 25, and the lower end of thespring is supported upon the flange 24, which is provided with aguide-opening for the reciprocating locking-rod. The bait-re'ceivin gtrigger, which extends through a longitudinal opening of theforwardly-extending portion 18 of the support 16, has a substantiallysemicircular lower portion, which is provided at its center with thesaid slot 30, and the baitreceiving trigger'when drawn forward by ananimal pulling on the bait is adapted to engage the curved portion ofthe lever and swing the latter downward, whereby the lockingrod iswithdrawn from engagement with the rotary striking-frame.

The rotary striking-frame and the mechanism for setting and tripping thesame are arranged within a substantially rectangular frame or casing 31,preferably constructed of woven wire and provided at its front with anopening 32 for the entrance of a rat or other animal. The receptacle isprovided at the sides and back of the opening in its top with suitableeyes, which are engaged by hooks 33 of the frame or casing 31, wherebythe latter is detachably mounted on the receptacle. The receptacle isprovided at one side with a suitable door 34, and it has ashelf 35 atitsfront to enable animals to readily enter the frame or casing 31.

It will be seen that the trap is exceedingly simple and inexpensive inconstruction, that it possesses great strength and durability, and thatit is exceedingly sensitive and is tripped by a slight pull on thetrigger, which receives the bait. It will also be apparent that therotary striking-frame when released is swung downward with sufficientforce to drive the spurs or projections into an animal and to force thelatter through the spring-supported trap-door, and the injury inflictedon an animal by the spurs or prongs will cause it to die in a very shorttime. The prongs or spurs will also prevent an animal from being thrownout of the trap by the force of the blow, and it will cause the animalto be positively dragged downward into the receptacle.

Changes in the form, proportion, size, and the minor details ofconstruction within the scope of the appended claims may be resorted towithout departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantagesof this invention.

What is claimed is l. A trap comprising a receptacle, a movablestriking-frame provided with spurs, and ayielding trap-door disposedhorizontally and provided at its inner end with a series of slotsarranged in the path of the said spurs whereby the latter are preventedfrom coming in contact with the platform, substantially as and for thepurpose described.

2. A trap comprising a receptacle provided at its top with a horizontalyieldingly-mounted trap-door, a frame arranged at the inner end of thetrap-door, a rotary striking-frame mounted on the said frame andarranged to extend beyond the same and engage the said trap-door, andmeans for operating the rotary striking-frame, substantially asdescribed.

3. A trap comprising a receptacle provided at its top with a horizontalyieldingly-mount ed trap-door, a frame arranged at the inner endof thetrap-door, a rotary striking-frame mounted on the said frame andarranged to extend beyond the same and engage the said trap-door, meansfor operating the rotary striking-frame, and a cage mounted upon thereceptacle and receiving the said frames and provided at the trap-doorwith an opening, substantially as described.

4. In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, arotary spring-actuated striking-frame mounted thereon, a reciprocatinglocking-rod arranged on the support and engaging the striking-frame, alever fulcrumed on the support and connected with the locking-rod, and atrigger pivoted to the lever, capable of oscillating the same to releasethe striking-frame, and adapted to receive a bait, substantially asdescribed.

5.- In a device of the class described, the combination of a support, arotary strikingframe pivotally mounted between its ends, a spring foractuating the striking-frame, a re ciprocating locking-rod mounted onthe support and arranged to engage the strikingframe, a lever fulcrumedat its rear end and connected between its ends by the lockingrod, aspring disposed on the rodand engaging the lever, and an angularly benttrigger adapted to receive a bait and fulcrumed on the support, saidtrigger having a slotted connection with the lever, substantially as de-I ranged at the forwardly-extending portion of the support and adaptedto receive a bait, and a lever connecting the trigger with thelocking-rod, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixedmysignature in the presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES 0. KING.

Vitnesses LEWIs II. TATE, JOHN T. CLOUD.

IIO

